Nemesia plant named ‘NAKNEM003’

ABSTRACT

A new  Nemesia  plant particularly distinguished by its compact plant growth habit, branching, flowering at the top of the plant and pink flower color, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Nemesia caerulea,

Variety denomination: ‘NAKNEM003’,

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia, botanically known as Nemesia caerulea, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘NAKNEM003’. The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in 2003 in Fujisawa, Japan between the female parent, ‘TNP’, an unpatented proprietary Nemesia caerulea line having pink flowers and the male parent, an unnamed and unpatented individual plant of Nemesia caerulea, having pink flowers.

In spring 2003, the female parent line ‘TNP’ and the male parent were crossed and an F₁ plant line was created. The F₁ seeds produced by the hybridization were sown in a greenhouse and later transplanted to an outdoor trial. The F₁ plants were evaluated and selected based on flower color, plant growth habit, flowering at the top of the plant and stem strength. The F₂ generation seed was sown in October 2003, and the F₃ generation seed was sown in September 2004 and later transplanted to an outdoor trial. In December 2004, 10 plants were selected for further evaluation and for asexual propagation. In March 2005, a single plant selection, ‘TNP-4B-10’, was chosen based on its pink flower color, compact and branching plant growth habit, flowering at the top of the plant and strong stem. This selection was asexually propagated by cuttings in Fujisawa, Japan and further evaluated in Fujisawa, Japan in 2005 in an indoor pot trial and an outdoor trial to confirm the uniformity and stability of its characteristics. The selection was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation and subsequently was named ‘NAKNEM003’.

The new cultivar was created in 2003 in Fujisawa, Japan and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly in Fujisawa, Japan over a two-year period. The plant has also been trialed in Salinas, Calif. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif. and Fujisawa, Japan:

-   -   1. Pink flowers;     -   2. Compact growth habit;     -   3. Branching; and     -   4. Flowering at the top of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Nemesia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in full color; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photographs are of a 4-month-old plant from transplant and grown in a greenhouse with natural light in a spring trial setting.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit including blooms, buds, and mature foliage.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature flowers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘NAKNEM003’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. The plant history was taken on four-month-old plants grown from transplant in 5-inch pots from rooted cuttings under greenhouse conditions. The plants were pinched by nipping and shearing off new growth to force branching and increased numbers of blooms later. Color readings were taken under natural light. Color references are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (RHS) (2001 edition). Anatomic labels are from The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickey and C. King, Cambridge University Press.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Scrophulariaceae.         -   Botanical name.—Nemesia caerulea.         -   Common.—Nemesia, Wildeleeubekkie. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—‘TNP’, an unpatented proprietary Nemesia             caerulea line having pink flowers         -   Male parent.—An unnamed and unpatented individual plant of             Nemesia caerulea, having pink flowers -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Cuttings will colonize a             2.5 cm diameter by 2.5 cm tall greenhouse tray cell with             peat-based plant media in approximately three to four weeks.             Cuttings are dipped in a normal dilution (1:9) of DIP 'N             GROW root inducing solution in water. The trays are misted             hourly during rooting.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—Rooted cuttings             are transplanted to pots with a 16-cm diameter, two plants             per pot. Peat-based growing media is used. The pots are             watered using a 150-200 ppm fertilizer solution using             20-10-20 fertilizer. The soil is allowed to dry between             watering. During the first few weeks after transplanting the             plants should have evening temperatures around 13° to 16° C.             for good root growth. When plants reach 7.5 cm to 10 cm in             height they are pinched back to 5 to 6 leaves to promote             branching. Spring and summer daytime high temperatures in             Salinas, California, where the data was collected, range             from 16° to 25° C.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—Approximately four weeks             when rooted vegetative cuttings are transferred to a 5-inch             diameter pot. Flowering season is all year in the United             States. Vernalization is not required to induce flowering. -   General plant description:     -   -   Habit and vigor.—Branching, compact plant growth habit,             moderately vigorous.         -   Height.—26.0 cm to 28.0 cm from soil line to top of plant,             1.5 cm from soil line to first node.         -   Spread.—34.0 cm to 35.0 cm,         -   Life cycle.—Annual, spring plant.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—3 to 4 weeks.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—4 to 6 weeks.         -   Flowering season.—Spring to fall.         -   Root system description.—Fine and fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Branching.         -   Temperatures tolerances.—Approximately 10° C. to 35° C. -   Branches:     -   -   Branching.—Freely branching.         -   Number of branches.—6 primary branches and numerous             secondary and tertiary lateral branches.         -   Length of branches.—1.5 cm from soil line to first node, 4.0             cm between the nodes, 30.0 cm total length.         -   Diameter of branches.—0.4 cm width by 0.1 cm depth.         -   Internode length.—4.0 cm.         -   Strength of branches.—Moderately strong.         -   Shape of all branches in cross section.—Rectangular with             edges or longitudinal ridges on 4 sides.         -   Branch color.—RHS 143B (Green).         -   Branch texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.         -   Branch pubescence.—Absent. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Dentate (toothed).         -   Length.—3.0 cm.         -   Width.—1.0 cm.         -   Color.—Upper RHS 137A (Green). Lower: RHS 137C (Green).         -   Attachment.—Decurrant.         -   Variegation.—None.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Texture (both surfaces).—Dull, glabrous.         -   Pubescence.—None.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Vein color.—Upper: RHS 137A (Green). Lower: RHS 138B             (Green).         -   Petiole.—Absent, decurrant leaf attachment. -   Flower Bud:     -   -   Quantity per inflorescence.—14 total, 3 to 6 open at any             given time.         -   Shape.—Ovoid with nectar spur.         -   Texture.—Slight amount of pubescence; pubescence color is             RHS N155A (White).         -   Size.—Length: 0.7 cm (including nectar spur). Diameter: 0.4             cm.         -   Color: RHS 64D (Red-purple). -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Inflorescence type, arrangement.—Zygomorphic; solitary             flowers are arranged on terminal racemes; 5 petals in a             single whorl; flowers acropetally from base to apex; flower             petals are bilabiate with nectar spur; flowers face upright             and outward.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence on the plant.—About 6 to 8             weeks.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—Approximately 6.         -   Inflorescence length.—4.0 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—2.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—1.0 cm.         -   Flower depth including nectar spur.—2.0 cm.         -   Nectar spur length.—0.4 cm.         -   Fragrance.—Sweet floral scent similar to honeysuckle,             snapdragon or stock.         -   Self-cleaning or persistent.—Not persistent. -   Petals:     -   -   Quantity (per flower).—5.         -   Size.—Length (both the upper and lower lips): 1.0 cm. Width:             Upper lip: 2.0 cm. Lower lip: 1.5 cm.         -   Arrangement/shape.—5 petals in a single whorl; petals are             bilabiate with nectar spur. Upper lip has 4 lobes connected             at center of petal. Lower lip has single lobe curled outward             at the top with nectar spur at bottom. Lower petal has a             yellow center which guides pollinators.         -   Apex.—Retuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Color (mature).—Upper lip: RHS 64C (Red-purple). Lower lip:             RHS 76A (Purple).         -   Texture (both upper and lower lips).—Glabrous, soft and             smooth.         -   Nectar spur color.—RHS 65D (Red-purple).         -   Nectar guide color.—RHS 9D (Yellow).         -   Spur length.—0.4 cm.         -   Spur diameter at base.—0.2 cm.         -   Spur diameter at tip.—0.1 cm.         -   Spur texture.—Glabrous, soft and smooth. -   Calyx:     -   -   Calyx shape.—Star-shaped.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: 5 sepals, fused at the base. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Color:             RHS 143B (Green). Length: 0.2 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Texture             (both surfaces): Slight amount of pubescence. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—1.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.05 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 143B (Green).         -   Texture.—Moderate amount of pubescence; pubescence color is             RHS N155A (White). -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—10.0 cm (to first node).         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 143B (Green).         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous. -   Reproductive Organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Number per flower: 4. Length: 0.25 cm. Filament             color: RHS N155A (White). Filament length: 0.2 cm. Filament             diameter: 0.05 cm. Anther color: RHS 9A (Yellow). Anther             length: Less than 0.1 cm. Pollen amount: Scarce, small             amount. Pollen color: RHS 9B (Yellow).         -   Pistil.—Pistil number: 1. Pistil length: 0.15 cm. Stigma             color: RHS 143C (Green). Stigma length: Less than 0.1 cm.             Style length: 0.1 cm. Style color: RHS 143D (Green). Ovary:             Inferior. -   Fruit and seed set: None. -   Disease and insect Resistance: Has not been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘NAKNEM003’ is a new and unique variety of Nemesia owing to its compact plant growth habit, branching, flowering at the top of the plant, and pink flower color. ‘NAKNEM003’ is most similar to the commercial Nemesia variety ‘Innkapink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,660), however, differences between the two varieties are listed below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘NAKNEM003’ ‘Innkapink’ Petal color: Upper lip RHS 64C (Red-Purple) RHS 85D (Violet) Nectar guide color RHS 9D (Yellow) RHS 7A (Yellow) Flower bud color RHS 64D (Red-Purple) Lighter than RHS 69D (Red-Purple) Peduncle color RHS 143B (Green) RHS 144A (Green)

‘NAKNEM003’ is similar to its parents however there are differences as shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Male Parent Female Parent Characteristic ‘NAKNEM003’ ‘TNP’ (Unnamed) Flower color Clear Rose Dull Pink Clear Rose Pink Plant growth Compact Upright, tall, less Compact, habit branching branching Blooming Multi-flowering Slightly upfacing Multi-flowering and upfacing and upfacing, Flowers initiate from very low node position 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant as shown and described herein. 